Wutaian Sky
by Vinter
Summary: It's alive! And reuploaded, Contains RenoYuffie, TifaRufus and AerisCloud.
1. Chapter One

Hi everyone! I've re-uploaded this, changed a few parts and so but anyway, read away!

Disclaimer: Oh and I don't own Final Fantasy 7 so don't sue me.

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The sun was high when Godo Kisaragi's body was laid into the ground. His family and friends was gathered to watch Godo being sent into the next world, not that many should miss him, he had been a real pain in the ass while alive and most of the people there at his funeral was there because they wanted to give their support to Godo's daughter, Yuffie. Yuffie was standing next to her fathers grave, looking down into it with brown eyes, not showing any emotion at all. She was dressed in a black dress and shoes and her shoulder length black hair flew in the warm wind of Wutai. No tears had she cried since her father died. Her brother Cloud came over to her and put a arm around her shoulder in a attempt to comfort his younger sister. Yuffie looked up at her half brother and smiled faintly before gazing over the crowd around her. Her eyes spotted two young women which she had only seen once in her life. Her half sisters and her eyes became even harder and she frowned before growling once.

Aeris looked at her now dead father's grave; she had only met him when she was a baby, which was right before he threw her and her mother out. Aeris had beautiful brown hair and green eyes, although they couldn't be seen, she had hidden them behind a pair of dark shades in a attempt to hide the black eye and she had put on a hard make up to try and cover her dark bruises that could be found all over her face, they were her ex husbands work. She closed her eyes for a moment when the unpleasant memories came back to her. It had been close this time, Vincent had almost killed her this time, she had only been able to escape from him because on of her neighbours heard her screams and kicked her front door down and been able to scare Vincent away. She touched one of her bruises and flinched a bit in cause of the pain. She raised her gaze and came to watch Yuffie and Cloud where they stood beside the newly dug grave holding each others hands and leaning on each other. Oh how she wished she had someone like that.

Tifa watched the crowd with steel hard crimson eyes. 'Pitiful pathetic people' she thought and tossed her long black hair back from her face. She didn't belong here and she didn't want to be here either. She was here only to get her money that she was sure her father had left for her and then she would be heading back for her wonderful, classy life in Midgar. She too laid her eyes on the two siblings standing at the grave and snorted. 'Oh why don't you look at that, the tomboy brat and the noble savage, how sweet' She snorted again and frowned. Couldn't they get this over with so she could go home with a large sack of gil.

The funeral was over and now the great party was about to begin. 'Ugh, parties, I hate parties' Yuffie sneaked upstairs and entered her room to change her clothes from that uncomfortable dress she wore into a pair of black denim pants and a dark green turtle neck T-shirt. She also put on her black boots and her Stetson hat and voila she was ready to work as usual at her family's ranch. She turned around to walk out right when Elmyra walked in with a frown on her face. Elmyra was the house maid kind of, she took care of mostly everything in the main house. She was quite short with brown hair and blue eyes and had a warming smile.

"And where are you going Yuff? You have guests downstairs if you haven't noticed. Don't you care about that?" Yuffie just glared at her and rolled her eyes and put a hand on her hip.

"Actually Elmyra I don't give a shit, I didn't want them here in the first place, and I have more important things to do that entertain some oldies who're only here to celebrate the death of my old man, now can I go, there are many things to do before this day is over." She walked past Elmyra before she could retort and made her way through the corridors and down the back stairs that lead to the kitchen and from there walked out onto the porch. On the back porch stood Tseng and Rufus, smoking and talking to each other in low voices. They looked up when Yuffie stepped out and she smirked lightly at the two.

"Enjoying your self Tseng?" She asked sarcastically cocking an eyebrow. Tseng just smirked slightly and exhaled some smoke before answering.

"It's a wonderful day, so why not spend it with a good friend?" Yuffie looked over to Rufus who lazily leaned on the porch rack holding a glass containing something that looked like some whiskey, he looked at her and raised his eyebrows and drank from his glass.

"So, Yuff, should I read your fathers will now or would you like to wait for a few days?" Rufus Shinra had been Godo's lawyer and now that he was dead, Rufus had become Yuffie's. Yuffie sighed and looked at the two men in front of her and slumped her shoulders.

"Let's get this over with Rufus." Rufus nodded and tipped his Stetson hat to Tseng before walking inside after Yuffie.

Rufus sat behind Godo's desk looking through some papers before gazing up and glanced over the people in the room. Yuffie was leaning on the wall beside one of the windows, she was looking down at her feet with a hard expression on her face, Cloud was sitting in a large arm chair not far from his sister, and he was watching her with worried eyes. Rufus frowned a bit, Yuffie wasn't going to take this lightly he was sure. He now paid his attention on the other three women in the room. There was Aeris who was nervously sitting in a arm chair that looked to big for her, and Elmyra who was calmly reading a newspaper, and then there was Tifa, she was dressed in a very expensive dress and was sitting in a chair ignorantly polishing her nails, she looked like she was taken right out from a model magazine. Rufus coughed to get their attention, Aeris jumped at the sound but Rufus paid no attention but saw Cloud quickly glance over to the girl, and then ordered his papers and laid his eyes on Yuffie.

"You want me to take this the easy way or the hard way Yuff?" Yuffie frowned.

"Take it the easy way Rufus, so we can get this over with as fast as possible."

'Oh yeah, Yuffie is NOT going to take this easy' Rufus thought and nodded to Yuffie.

"Okay then, we start with you Elmyra, Godo has left you 5000 gil for each year you have worked here, that's 34 years, 170 000 gil." He looked at the woman who now had a shocked expression on her face.

"Oh dear, Rufus dear what am I supposed to do with that much money?"

"You can always save them, or invest them, I can tell you more later. Now Cloud, In a deal your mother and Godo made when they got married, Godo has left you your house and two percent of the ranch to you, or 200 000 gil, I suggest you take the percent they are more valuable, but that's just a suggestion."

"What do you mean he only get's two bloody percent?" Yuffie yelled in anger, and Aeris jumped in fear. "He should be given more!"

"It's okay Yuffie, It's what our mother asked for and that's what he gave her. I'll be fine and I really don't care about what's given to me 'kay?" Clouds calm voice seemed to calm the young woman down a bit because Yuffie leaned back onto the wall.

"Thank you Cloud and now if I may continue..." He looked questionably at Yuffie and she nodded. "I have now come to the last part of Godo's will, his daughters. He has left you all a third of the ranch, but" he held up a hand when both Tifa and Yuffie started to protest by yelling as high as they could. "but, to get the ownership of this ranch you all must stay on this ranch a year, and you can not be leaving it for more than one week in a row and you can only leave for four weeks in total. If you don't approve to or break these terms, you will be given a check on 100 gil and the ranch will be given for charity." During Rufus speech Yuffie had become pale but was now flushing with anger.

"CHARITY? A WHOLE YEAR, WITH THOSE TWO IDIOTS?" Yuffie screamed on top of her lounges. Tifa rose from her chair graciously and stepped over to the fuming Yuffie with a snobbish look on her face.

"Hey Look her brat, I don't want to be here, but I want my damn money and if staying on this god forgotten ranch out in middle of nowhere is the only way, I will stay here." She snorted and then turned her back to Yuffie. Aeris had also become pale and was now shivering while whimpering.

"Oh god oh god oh god." She whimpered with tears starting to build up in her eyes. Yuffie glared at the older girl and stomped over to her with a deep frown.

"So, are you staying or what?" She spat, which only made Aeris to shiver and whimper even more. Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Oh, please shut up and stop being such a wuss for fuck sake." At this point Aeris nerves broke and she started to sob loud heartbreaking sobs. "Ah, please not this to!" Yuffie threw her hands into the air and sighed, she heard Tifa make a very rude comment towards her and she quickly turned around and glared at the elder girl and stomped over to her.

"What did you say bitch?" She growled and pushed Tifa so that she stumbled backwards. Now it was Tifa's turn to glare and her crimson eyes flashed in sudden anger as she pushed Yuffie.

"I said, you fucking stupid unfeeling brat" Yuffie was going to retort but was interrupted by Cloud who now sat on his heels in front of the sobbing Aeris.

"Why don't you both just shut up? Yuffie I'm very disappointed at you, I thought you had more dignity than that. You both are grown women, behave like it." He growled before turning to Aeris again, and started to mumble soothing words to her. Yuffie said nothing she only stomped back to her previous place and stood there staring holes in the floor. Tifa went back to her chair and glared at the wall, both women had angry expressions on their faces.

After a few minutes Aeris had calmed down and so had Yuffie and Tifa, so Rufus continued to read the will.

"Wait a minute Rufus did you just say Reno Highwind?" Yuffie asked with a dangerously calm voice.

"Um... Yes Yuffie I did, he and I are going to watch over the three of you during this year." Rufus had feared this; he knew that those two didn't get along very well. "But this is what your father wrote and that is what is valid."

Yuffie didn't respond, she just growled before sighing. This was going to be a looong year.

The sun was setting when Yuffie sat on her black chocobo and was slowly heading east through the long fields that had belonged to her family for almost hundred years. She was still fuming with anger and the chocobo under her moved impatiently. Yuffie smiled slightly and looked down at the chocobo.

"You wanna run Shadow? Okay then let's get all this steam out of us shall we?" She let Shadow run freely as fast as she could and didn't stop before they reached a hill which showed the view of another ranch. The Highwind Ranch. Yuffie calmly watched the quiet ranch for a few moments until her chocobo started to squirm again.

"We haven't gotten it out of us yet huh? No I guess not" She petted Shadow on the neck and watched the ranch again. She turned her head when she heard the sound of an engine, it was a motorcycle and she knew exactly who it was, Reno, so she growled once before turning Shadow around and set off as fast as she could.


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I don't own so don't sue me!

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"So you see, She wasn't very happy when she heard that you should watch over her ranch. Actually she tried breaking a chair over my head afterwards." Rufus leaned in to his car and watched the red-haired man on the black chocobo. Reno leaned forward with a wide smirk on his face. His aquamarine eyes glittered.

"Heh, I guess I should have expected that sort of reaction." Reno chuckled and then straitened up in the saddle. "So how are the sisters then?" He leaned forward again. Rufus put his hands in his white trench coat pockets and stared at the mountains.

"The middle sister is still at the ranch, she took her first best chance to stay there, she's scared to life and it looks like she has ran into someone's fists."

"An accident?"

"I don't think so, she has an ex husband home in Kalm. He has been punished for women abuse before."

"Bastard." Was the only comment Reno could come up with at the moment. "So how is the other then?"

"She's the classy one, snobbish, has a gold watch and expensive designer clothes, she's from Midgar and is royally pissed of by the though of spending a year here. She's back in Midgar right now to pack her things; she should be back in the end of this week."

"Great, I'll be over there by the end of the week then to check them out, but hey Rufus, I'd love to stay and chat but actually I have to go up the mountain, we still have some cattle up there. Mom has made coffee, so if you like it's just to go in and get some." Reno touched his hat in a salute and then turned his chocobo.

"Thanks Reno but I have to go, I still have some paperwork to do, I shall be going" Rufus got into his car and started the engine and drove of just as Reno rode away with his chocobo.

Reno let his chocobo Ghost walk slowly as he crossed the grassy field towards the mountains at the horizon. By his side his Dark Nation ran, the large black creature was sniffing the ground for traces after rabbits or liking. Reno fastened his pace and soon he was at the edge of the mountain and was soon slowly but safe riding through the thick forest. He could smell the snow in the air even though it still was September. Soon the rocky tips of the mountains should be covered in thick cold snow.

He looked up when he heard the sounds of a plane engine above him and waved when he settled his azure eyes on Cid's tiny bronco. Rude, who was steering the little plane, tipped the wings in a return greeting and then turned to fly in another direction. Reno chuckled and hastened Ghost's pace a bit as he thought about his half brother. Two years older and he already had a kid and wife, it made the age difference to seem like twenty years instead of the just two. He shook his head and urged the chocobo into a trot.

He entered the forest before the mountains and was now looking more relaxed than before. Dark Nation had wandered off a few meters away sniffing and randomly growling as she caught up the scent of some animal. The peaceful forest was suddenly interrupted when a loud scream and a fierce roar broke through the calm wood, then the sound of lightning and a roar in pain, then... nothing. Reno had his chocobo in motion at the first roar and was running and turning against the noise. The first thing he saw was Yuffies chocobo Shadow bound to a low branch, it seemed that it had been tied up real fast because the knot had almost loosened up completely, and second the chocobo was shivering. He came into a small clearing and saw a huge bear dead on the ground reeking in the cold air. (It was colder here than before) Beside the bear stood a small figure that Reno recognised as Yuffie, she was shaking violently while holding her conformer in one hand and a piece of materia Reno figured was a lightning. She was staring at the ground beside the animal but looked up when Reno came closer and she got a hard expression on her face. Reno jumped off Ghost and slowly made his way over to Yuffie, Dark Nation by his side, she was looking at the dead bear with hungry eyes and looked up at her master with pleading eyes whimpering and tripping forward towards the reeking corpse, but one sharp commando from Reno silenced and stopped the big black animal.

"Are you okay Yuff? I came as fast as I heard the noises." Reno kept his voice low and concerned which only made Yuffie growl and narrow her eyes.

"Can't you see I'm okay? Of course I'm okay, I'm not stupid enough to get hurt by a stupid bear you moron. Now get away before I cut you open" She threatened him and just as quick as the lightning she brought up a hunting knife and held it steadily in her hand. Reno looked at the knife and mentally rolled his eyes. He could take that knife from her whenever he wanted to but choose to ignore it for now.

"By the way why are you here Reno? I saw Rude fly by a few minutes before the bear attacked and I figured that you should be at your home." Yuffie spat and then stepped away from the other. Reno coolly replied.

"I have some of my men up here and some cows to. But that doesn't explain why you are here." He glared at her and she glared back with eyes cold as a glacier.

"Same reason you are here, Reno, I to have men up here and now if you'll excuse me I have a bear to take out before I continue" She turned her back to Reno and walked over and sat beside the dead bear while clutching her knife harder. Reno sighed and then walked after her and sat down on the other side, he too with a hunting knife ready to start the bloody work. Yuffie narrowed her eyes and growled.

"I know how to take out a bear by myself Reno now go away." She said coldly.

"I know you can Yuff, but I figured since it's such a big bear I'll help you." Reno retorted just as cold and started to slice the bear open and began to take out every organ he could find before they started to swell. Yuffie soon followed his moves and started to slice out pieces of meat, trying to avoid blood and blood levers as far as she could and bit her tongue when she couldn't. Soon they had taken out every piece of meat that was eatable and had given the vital organs to Dark Nation who sat beside Reno munching on them while purring in a very un Dark National way.

It was a half hour later and Reno and Yuffie was riding next to each other not talking. They had both taken their winter coats on now since it was much colder up here. The snow lay kind of thick on the ground and their breaths clouded in front of their mouths.

"I'll give you half of the meat from the bear; it's only fair that way." Yuffie turned her head to meet her gaze with the red head. Reno smirked.

"Thank you, I'm very grateful." Yuffie quickly turned her head back forward.

"That's the problem isn't it? Being grateful, none of us wants to be it." Her voice was now cold again.

"I guess so" Was all Reno said and Yuffie turned back to him again.

"You can take the bear coat, I don't need any trophies, but you men always seem to like them."

"Yeah, They are nice to look at sometimes, yourself should make a very nice trophy." He smirked but the smirk vanished when Yuffie quickly grabbed his coat and pushed him off his chocobo into the snow. He quickly stood up and glared at her.

"What the hell what that for?" He spat and dusted the snow off his coat.

"You being an asshole that's what it was for, I don't like you and I don't want to be you're trophy." She spat back and found herself being dragged down to the ground to.

"You know what Yuffie? I don't like you very much either and I can assure you that I don't want you as much as you don't want me." Yuffies eyes burned holes in Reno and he let go off her and she walked back up to her chocobo and sat up before looking at Reno again. The humiliation burning in her soul.

"Go to hell Reno." She hastily poked her chocobo in the sides and it started to walk. Reno soon got up to her on Ghost with Dark Nation at his heels. None of them said anything more for a long time. Soon they saw the smoke coming from one of the many cabins that could be found out here in the wilderness and Yuffie sighed with relief. 'Finally other people, I hope it's my own staff' Yuffie thought while watching the smoke rise from over the trees.

Then a faint yet familiar smell reached her nose and she jerked in surprise and her chocobo came to a quick halt. Reno stopped beside her looking at her surprised and curios why she had stopped.

"What's the matter Yuff?"

"Can't you smell it?"

"Um... what? No I can't smell anything besides the snow. What is it?"

"Something has died." Yuffie turned and started to lead the way through the trees until they saw what Yuffie had smelled. It was a dead chocobo, a green one, at least it had been green before now it was sliced and diced open and the blood was everywhere. Green feathers was laying all around the bird covered in blood. Yuffie and Reno jumped off their own chocobos and approached the dead one. By a closer observation they noticed that one of it's feet had been chopped off.

"Who could have done this to such a beautiful creature?" Yuffie growled and scanned the nearby area for clues. Reno had walked closer to the chocobo and was now sitting next to it's head looking at a red tag.

"It's one of yours Yuff." Yuffie's head snapped back to look at Reno

"It doesn't matter whose it is, it's cruel to do such a thing either way." But she noted the number on the tag anyway; the death had to be recorded. "Can you see how long it has been dead?"

"At least 24 hours. It's cold. There's nothing more we can do here. It was snowing last night so the traces are gone. Let's proceed to the cabin." Yuffie only nodded and followed Reno back to their chocobos.

Yuffie slammed the door to the cabin wide open and stalked inside. Zack and Barret who had been sitting in there talking looked up at her but said nothing.

"Do you two know that one of our 'bos has been murdered about a kilometre from here?" She said quite calm but in a cold voice.

"What do you mean it has been murdered? Hasn't it just been attacked by a mountain lion?" Zack leaned back in his chair with a frown and with an everlasting smirk on his face.

"Not if the lions have started to use shot guns and knifes nowadays." Reno spoke up from behind Yuffie while he pushed the girl inside the warm cabin and closed the door after them.

"You must have been mistaken Highwind" Barret spat and lightened a cigarette.

"Then why don't you go look for yourself then Barret?" Yuffie said calmly. "Just walk about fifteen minutes east and you'll find it."

"I'll do that" Barret growled and took his had and coat and walked outside, "Start making the good damn food before I come back Zack." He said before shutting the door.


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Don't own!

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"Stupid kids, probably fucking stupid kids from the city, stuffed with drugs and alcohol" Barret growled when he slammed the door open and stalked into the cabin again. Zack, Yuffie and Reno had just finished drinking some coffee and was just about to eat when the door slammed wide open.

"I guess you found it" Yuffie commented dryly and smirked. Barret just growled something un-hear able and stomped over to the stove and grabbed a plate and began to scoop up some of the hot food.

"Now you three just shut the hell up while I'm eating" Barret muttered and began eating, the other three shrugged and also started to grab something to eat.

Aeris stood silently next to the fence that kept the black chocobos inside. She had succeeded to avoid being stopped by Elmyra and had walked outside to get some time to think to herself.

"So peaceful, I wish that I could stay here forever in this moment and never be forced to go on.' A lonely silent tear made it down her cheek and she leaned forwards at the fence and sighed while closing her eyes and just listened to the silent rustling of the wind in the tall sun warm grass.

Cloud stood a few meters behind her with a bucket of greens in his hand. He watched the young girl quietly. He could see she had been hurt and he hated to see such a beautiful flower being crushed, he wanted to kill the man who had done this to her. He started to slowly but safe approach her, she turned to him when he was almost behind her and flinched. It made him sad; he didn't want this wonderful she-elf to be afraid of him.

"I'm sorry if I scared you, I didn't mean to." His voice was calm and soothing and it seemed to calm the girl down.

"I-I'm sorry If I'm in the way sir, I can go back inside if you want me to." She kept her voice low so that he wouldn't hear her voice trembling with fear. 'It's not Vincent, It's not Vincent I know it's not him...' She chanted in her mind while cautiously watching the young blonde man.

"Oh, no it's perfectly okay by you to stand where ever you want; you live here now too you know." Cloud smiled and he thought he saw her give him a small smile in return but it could have been a shadow. Now that he was close he could see all the bruises and marks on her pale face, they shone right through the make-up she had applied in an attempt to hide them.

"Would you like to see the chocobos closer up?" He suddenly asked and she thought about it for a few seconds before she nodded. Cloud smiled and turned to the fence and gave the bucket to Aeris who shook it. Three black chocobos poked up their heads and ran over to where the two humans stood. Aeris smiled happily and grabbed a few greens and started to feet one of the smaller ones. Cloud chuckled in amusement.

"I see you have been in touch with chocobos before." Aeris jerked at his words and withdrew her hand from the chocobo and the smile disappeared.

"Sorry, I didn't know" He flinched on the inside; he didn't want to be the one that wiped that beautiful smile off of her face. He reached out and grabbed the chocobo Aeris had been feeding and grabbed it gently behind the neck and led it to the gate where he had a saddle and reins. He quickly put on both and motioned for Aeris to come closer.

"Ever ridden a Chocobo before?" Aeris nodded. "Would you like to ride with me for a while then? Urna over her would love to be taken out for a while, she is to old to be used as a driving chocobo but she's an excellent riding chocobo. So how about it?"

She said quietly while petting the black animal. "Her name's Urna?" Cloud nodded. "It's a wonderful name." She said quietly while petting the black animal. "I'd love to take a ride on her, but I've never ridden on a saddle like that."

"Oh, you've probably ridden the Nibelheim style saddle, this is a Wutaian style, If you want to we can go to Rufus' tomorrow and borrow one of his but I think that you should try this one out." Aeris though about it and then gave the blonde a small insecure smile.

"Sure It would be fun."

"Then come on then, hop on and take a few turns around while I go and make my own chocobo ready 'kay?" Aeris nodded and tried to get up but fell down again.

"Here I'll help you, just put your hand into my hands and I'll hoist you up" Aeris looked frightened and stared at Cloud's friendly and open face. "Come on Aeris, It's just your foot you're going to put in my hand not your life" Aeris sighed and looked down to the ground, when she finally looked up she had tears in her eyes.

"Cloud, my life's a mess." Cloud nodded.

"Then it's time to do something about it." He helped her onto the chocobo and went over to make his own chocobo ready.

Vincent growled and stared at the man and woman riding towards the thick woods.

"Have fun while you can Aeris, go on and have fun with that moron savage. I'll get you for this, no one escapes from Vincent Valentine, especially not his own fucking wife." He growled again and stood up from his hiding place and started to slowly make his way to the pickup that would take him to his new home.

Tifa stood outside her mothers house, ready for her meeting. She had always looked at this as their meetings. She had prepared herself by taking three aspirins before leaving her own home and now she walked up to the door to her mothers house and rung the doorbell. Her mother, Scarlet, opened the door a few moments later, dressed in a red dress that hugged her body tensely.

"Oh my baby!" Scarlet cried and gave her daughter a big hug, which almost crushed Tifa.

"Hi mom, nice to see you to." She escaped the hug (of doom ;) ) and walked inside the house. "I see that the housemaid Heidigger (AN: Lol him as a housemaid) isn't working today, good, you know mom he makes the worst coffee ever." Tifa proceeded to walk into the kitchen and started to make some coffee. Scarlet walked after her and sat on a tall barstool while studying her daughter.

"So how did it go on the funeral?" Scarlet bit into an apple.

"It went okay I guess, I got a third of the ranch..."

"A THIRD! Oh my baby that's great."

"...But the catch is to get all the money and stuff, I have to stay on the ranch a whole year, with two long lost sisters that I don't like." Scarlet burst out in laughter.

"You.. have to s-stay on the ranch for a ... YEAR! You laugh with the laughs louder cows and chocobos" Scarlet almost fell of the chair while laughing like a maniac. Tifa was not amused. "Kyahahaha"

"I don't found any of this amusing mother." Her cold voice stopped her mother's laughs.

"Okay, okay, sorry dear, now tell me about your sisters. What are they like?"

"The youngest one is a real cowgirl, a real pain in the ass to, she hates us other two, the middle sister is a beautiful nice girl, to bad the face is covered in bruises and stuff."

"An accident?"

"Naw, it's more like she has ran into someone's fists, she apparently has an ex-husband who likes to beat her up."

"Oh the poor thing, you know one of my girls had one of those men, we finally got her into a home for women with ex-husbands and now she's fine." Tifa sighed and rolled her eyes, Scarlet's night-club and her 'girls'.

'I swear, she has gotten all kinds of stupid girls at that night-club of hers'

"Well anyway mom, I was just stopping by to tell you this and tell you that I'm going to be away over there in Wutai for a year. So, I must get going, I have to get shopping clothes and stuff, and boots. Oh dear I need boots, well see you later mother" Tifa kissed her mother on the cheek and made her way out of the house.

"Good luck Tifa, I really hope you'll survive through this year" Scarlet said to the closed front door.


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I did this one already, you know how it goes, now do the disclaimer with me.

I! (I!) DON'T! (don't!) Own! (own!) … I don't own!

And a big thanks to all of you who reviewed! The moogles love you!

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Most of the daylight had disappeared when Yuffie came back to the main ranch house. De-horning and castration of the cattle was hard, messy and troublesome. She knew she was pushing herself to her limits and knew that she was going to continue doing so. She wanted the men to see her from every point of view, in every possible job. To change the operational leader, even under the best circumstances was rough. And these circumstances weren't exactly the best.

This was the reason she had been there when a hoard of wild foulanders had broken down a few fences and caused almost chaos. And she had personally led the team to scare them away and repair the fence.

Now she was done for the day and as her men went to their own barracks to play cards and eat, she wanted nothing less than a warm bath and a large meal.

Yuffie was just about to walk up the stairs to do just that when it knocked on the door. She huffed and stomped over to the door and slammed it open to reveal no other than Reno with his fist up to knock the door again. Yuffie growled.

"What do YOU want?"

"What no hello Reno, Nice to see you? And a drink would be nice"

She turned around fuming and went over to the bar while Reno went to sit on the couch. He bounced down heavily and stared at Yuffie who opened the bar refrigerator and took out a beer which she tossed to the red-haired man at the couch.

"Drink it quickly Reno I'm hungry and I haven't gotten anything to eat for dinner yet."

"Neither have I" he caught the bottle and opened it with a practiced move. "But I wouldn't think I'd get an invitation to stay" She went over and sat on the other side of the couch and took a sip out of her own drink.

"I'm not in the mood for company right now"

"It seems you're never in the mood for my company Yuff" Reno scooted closer to her and Yuffie resisted moving away since it would appear childish. She was actually kind of proud of herself for that.

"So Yuff, I haven't seen you since we were up at the mountain, I thought I would let you know I tried to track the killer but the tracks died out into nothing, whoever it was who killed the chocobo, knew how to not leave traces after them." Reno leaned back into the couch and took a swing at his beer.

"Barret thinks its teenagers, drunk and full of drugs." Yuffie shrugged.

"And you?"

"Then I didn't believe it, but now it seems like the most truth worthy explanation."

"Maybe, It's not much of an idea to get up there again, we have gotten all the cattle back down, but now Yuff, where are your sisters?"

"None of your business Reno" Yuffie growled.

"It is my business from now on Yuff, or can't you remember?" He teased her and put an arm around her shoulder, which she just shrugged off. He liked to remind her about that, just as much as he liked to look at her where she sat with the hair pointing out from the small braid she had her hair in, and her boots on the table next to his.

"Lockhart isn't back yet." She managed to growl out. She remembers perfectly, she just didn't like to think about it.

"Are you going to introduce me?" Just for the fun of it Reno started to play with her hair. "Maybe I'll like her and keep her busy, so that's she's out of your way for a while" She pushed his hand away but he just brought it back.

"Do women always fall at you feet Reno?"

"Everyone except you darling. And that's because I haven't come up with a way to get you off balance yet." He traced her jaw line with his finger and saw her eyes narrow, "But I'm working on it. So how's the other one?"

"The other what?"

"The other sister" Yuffie shrugged, uninterested, finally giving in to the urge and inched away from the redhead.

"She's here, somewhere." Reno smirked lazily.

"I'm making you nervous, now isn't this interesting?"

"I see your ego needs to be fixed again" She replied dryly and tried to stand up. He stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Why oh my" He murmured when he felt how she vibrated under his hand. "It seems I haven't been giving you enough attention. Come here" She concentrated on keeping her breathing steady and calm, while changing the grip on the bottle in her hand.

'Oh he's so full of himself. So cocky. So convinced that I'm going to melt, if only he pushes the right buttons.' She thought.

"So you want me to come closer" She purred and saw him widen his eyes a little at the warm voice. "And what would happen if I do?" He grabbed her shirt tightly and dragged her towards him. He would've called himself an idiot – if there had been any blood left up in his head that is. But in that moment he couldn't handle anything other than the growing feeling of lust that the slightly obscured voice caused.

"Well, it's about time we find out" He drew his lips closer to hers and if he hadn't kept his intense blue eyes on her lips he would've seen what was coming. Instead he found himself just inches away from those lips, and soaking wet of the beer she had just poured over his head.

"You're such an idiot Reno" She put the now empty bottle on the table, very much pleased with herself. "You didn't think I had seen that coming Reno? Puh-lease I've lived on a ranch full with horny men whole my life for heavens sake" he slowly pulled his hand through his wet hair.

"Maybe not, but..." He acted quickly, when Yuffie found herself under him she thought that even most snakes rattled before they struck. Now she could only feel distaste before herself because she was lying there, pressed down in the couch by this wiry man with blood in his gaze.

"Didn't expect that now did you?" She glared at him and tried to buck him off. He gripped her wrists and forced them over her head. Her face was red, but he didn't think it was all anger. Anger didn't make her tremble like that. "Are you scared of letting me kiss you Yuff? Scared that you might like it?" Her heart was beating quickly; it felt like they were almost bursting out of her ribcage. And her lips were tingling, as if preparing for action.

"If I want you to nibble on me, I'll tell you" he smiled down at her as he leaned forward, closer to her face.

"Then tell me you don't want this then. Go on, tell me" His voice thickened and he bit her jaw lightly. "Tell me you don't want me to taste you. Just once." She couldn't tell him. It would've been a lie. Not that lying to him bothered her, but she couldn't get a single word out of her mouth. So she chose the other option and brought up her knee, hard and fast. His face turned ashen as he grunted in pain and fell down on top of her. Yuffie's lost her breath as the heavy male fell.

"Ugh, Reno you fat idiot, get off me, you're crushing my lungs" gasping for air, she started twisting and wriggling under him, trying to get away as he groaned. She managed to take a breath and grabbed a fistful of crimson hair and yanked at it. They rolled off the sofa and down onto the floor in a heap. She saw stars when her elbow hit the edge of the table. Reno growled as he flipped her over and the game was on.

A vase fell to the floor in a loud crash as they rolled around the floor, grunting, growling and cursing. He tried to defend himself, but she was apparently after his blood as she sunk her teeth into his upper arm. Convinced she was out to take a chunk out of him he managed to get a grip on her jaw and put pressure on it until she let go of him.

They rolled around with clinking boots that took hold here and there, where they drove their elbows into each other and gripped with their hands.

Yuffie didn't realize she was laughing until Reno had her caught like a vice. He stared down at her as she continued to laugh. She didn't stop until she was breathless.

"You think that's funny?" he had to look at her and blew a few strands of red hair out of his eyes. He was most grateful she hadn't managed to rip it all off in chunks. "You bit me"

"I know, I think I have a piece of your shirt in my mouth" She drew her tongue over her teeth. "Let go of me Reno"

"So what? So you can bite me again, or maybe kick my balls up my throat? I don't think so" They were both in pain, a lot of pain, so he just glared down at her lightly. "You fight like a girl" he smirked. She tried to shrug.

"So what? It works" his mood once again changed. He could feel the soft, hot transition from anger to lust, from indignation to interest. As they had stopped her breast were pressed against his chest in a comfortable way, and her legs were spread out with his pressed in between them.

"Yeah it does. Your femininity seems to fit the situation." She saw how the expression in his eyes changed and switched between longing and panic.

"Stop" His mouth were only centimetres from hers and she had once again lost her breath.

"Why? It doesn't hurt anyone"

"I don't want your mouth on me" He arched an eyebrow and smiled.

"Liar." And she shivered.

"Y-yeah" His mouth was only a whisper away from hers when she heard the first piercing screams.

Reno rolled off her and came to his feet. This time, when she ran behind him, Yuffie could admire the speed at which he moved at.

"Damn" he muttered as he stepped over the bloody mass on the porch and caught Aeris in his arms. "It's alright love, it's alright" Automatically he changed his position so that he blocked her view, and as he stroked her back to calm her down he watched over her head into Yuffie's eyes.

The chock was there, but not the shivering, stiffly staring terror as in the woman he held. This was a fragile person, he thought, while Yuffie would always be the robust one.

"You're going to help her inside" he told the younger sister. But Yuffie just shook her head and stared down at the bloody, badly beaten mass at her feet.

"It has to be one of the stable cats." Or at least, it had been, she thought bitterly, before someone chopped its head off and cut up the belly so the intestines welled out and left it as this appalling present on the stairs.

"Help her inside Yuff" Reno repeated.

The screams had made the others come running. Cloud was the first to come up to the porch. The first thing he saw was Aeris standing in Reno's arms crying. The quick stick in his stomach was caused as much of that as of the thing lying on the porch.

Instinctively he stepped forward, put a hand on her arm and said calmingly as she twitched.

"It's okay Aeris."

"Cloud, I saw…" The nausea made her stomach turn.

"I know. Now you're going to go inside. Look at me" he murmured and carefully coaxed her out of Reno's arms and brought her towards the front door.

"Yuffie's going to take you inside"

"Hey! I have to.."

"Take care of your sister Yuff" Cloud interrupted, took her hand and put it on her older sister's with a gentle press of his hand.

Yuffie knew she had lost when Aeris hand shivered under her own. She muttered a curse under her breath and pulled Aeris' hand.

"Come on. You have to sit down."

"I saw.."

"Yeah I know what you saw. Forget it" Yuffie closed the door with a determined bang and let the men stand outside and contemplate the headless cat on the porch.

"Jay-sus Cloud, is that a cat?" Zack pulled his hand across his mouth. "Someone, worked hard on it"

Cloud threw a glance backwards and studied them in order, Zack, was pale and with his Adams apple bobbing; Tseng with his lips pressed together thinly; Barret with his shotgun tossed over his shoulder. There was Cait Sith, barely eighteen years old, staring with eyes wide a saucers, his pet moogle perched on his shoulder, and Reeve who was stroking his smooth black goatee.

Reeve spoke first with his voice calm. "Where's the head? I can't see it there." He stepped closer. Reeve was responsible for the fields and his wife Nell cooked for the ranch workers. He always smelled like perppermint caramels. Cloud knew him as a stable person, as immovable as the Da-Chao Mountains.

"Whoever did this maybe likes trophies" Cloud's words made a quick end to the mumbling of the others. It was just Cait Sith who continued babbling.

"Wh-oah! Have you ever seen anything like this? He's spread out all the intestines all over the porch. But who would do something like this to a old cat? What do you thin…"

"Shut up, Cait, for heavens sake" The tired order came from Tseng. He sighed once and took out his package of cigarettes. "Go back and eat now everybody. There's nothing else to do here, now stop staring like a group of old women on a fashion show"

"I lost my appetite" Zack mumbled, but he and the others started to walk back to their barrack.

"What a mess" Tseng commented. "I assume some kid could've done this. Reeve's kids are a bit wild, but they're not mean. And like I see it you have to be possibly evil to do something like this. But I'll talk to them"

"Tseng, can I ask you if you know what the men have been doing during the last hour?" Tseng regarded Reno calmly.

"They've been here and there, washing up for dinner and such. I'm not watching over them around the clock if that's what you're wondering. The men that work here doesn't walk around cutting cats open for fun" Reno just nodded. They both knew he wasn't permitted to ask any more. "It must've happened during this last hour, I've been for a while and it wasn't there when I came" Tseng just nodded and then turned away from the two younger men and started to walk towards the barracks.

"I suggest removing the cat before the little miss comes out again."

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And there you have it, part four (very late indeed). Hope you like it.

Sephiroth: yeah yeah, shut your trap Vin and start writing the next chapter instead of standing around like you're doing right now.

Vinter: hey! I'll have you know I actually have to go to work five days a week you maniac. So I'm doing the best I can.

Reno. Well, actually, you're not since this chapter's been ready since November.

Vinter: Shut. Up! (looks at readers) heh… oops? Um, Review?

Marik: I still think you're wasting your time… (get's hit by the cast of FF7)


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